80s Interview: Helen Slater

Supergirl, Chris Reeve and Russell Crowe…

London Love

What are your memories of Supergirl ?

It’s incredibly close to my heart. Many of my friends were going to college that year and I had decided to try my hand at acting professionally. It was an incredible adventure to come to London, work out and talk to Christopher Reeve…

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The Superman

What did you talk about?

He was getting ready to do Superman 3 and we were all at Pinewood Studios. He told me the lay of the land, which was very helpful when you’re 18, just turning 19.

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Wardrobe Worries

Did he warn you about getting chafed from those harnesses?

Oh, chafe-age! I don’t remember, but he did tell me that when he was flying, a lot of his arm movements were based on what he knew about piloting a plane. Not me, I know how to get a subway and hail a cab!

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Suit Savings

Did you get to keep the suit?

No – there’s a big thing about that, you’re not allowed. Would I have liked to? I don’t think so – I’m not really a saver.

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Foxy Time

In The Secret of My Success you made drinking fountains look slo-mo sexy…

[ Laughs ] That was a lot of fun. Michael J. Fox was just a joy to work with. I saw it recently and I thought, "Oh, it’s so ’80s!" That blunt haircut, that blue eyeliner, the pink suit… I have a 15-year-old and she’s putting the eyeliner on now and I’m like, " Really ?"

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Charismatic Crowe

You were also in No Way Back with a young Russell Crowe. How was that?

I loved him. He carries within him that incredible charisma and even back then you knew he just wasn’t going to be pushed around. I mean that in the highest compliment, he knew this was not where he was landing – he was going onto bigger and better things.

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Tellyland

What have you been doing since?

I’ve done lots of independent movies and TV – with my daughter it’s kind of been easier to be ‘dropped out’! I wanted to raise our daughter and not be at the mercy of someone else’s time schedule.

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Busy Bee

What’s coming up?

I just finished 18 episodes of Gigantic , starring Grace Gummer, and I play her Mom. It’s about teens growing up in Hollywood. I’m working on a third album, it’s me and the piano. I’ve always written music and I sell it online now at cdbaby.com. I also shot a surf movie, Beautiful Wave , and I just did CSI: NY .

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Run Fun

What’s your favourite ’80s film?

I love Midnight Run , it’s so fun. It’s a buddy movie that makes you cry at the end.

For more '80s goodness check out the latest issue of Total Film , on sale 28 October.